CU AMSA Bioethics Blog

This week's article

2010-04-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

This week, we will be discussing the ethical concerns about mandatory vaccination. Please read the following article:

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202447652557&Court_Denies_Mothers_Bid_for_Religious_Exemption_to_Vaccinations

This week's article

2010-03-29T18:55:00.001-07:00

At this week's meeting, we will be discussing the article that Dr. Prager recommended, "The Man on the Table Devised the Surgery" by Lawrence K. Altman, which appeared in the New York Times on December 25, 2006.

Please access the article through this link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/25/health/25surgeon.html

Please note that we have RESCHEDULED our meeting this week. It will take place on Wednesday at 9pm. Please check your email for details about the location.

Bioethics news

2010-03-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

This article discusses the controversy surrounding The Genetics and IVF Institute, an American infertility clinic, offering free human eggs to randomly chosen attendees at their informational lectures. While compensation for eggs is illegal in Europe and Canada, it is not prohibited in the United States. This article discusses the ethical implications of offering human eggs as a raffle prize, in addition to the practical concerns about differing egg donation policies in the US as compared to those in other countries.

You can read more about it here, " Free human egg prize sparks ethics debate" from the Associated Press, which appeared on CBCnews on March 17, 2010.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/03/17/infertility-egg-raffle-britain.html

Organ donation plan in Israel

2010-03-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

This article discusses a new organ donation plan that will soon be launched in Israel. The plan is intended to increase organ donation by rewarding those who sign an organ donor card by moving their family up in line to receive an organ transplant, if they are waiting for one. This plan has been met with controversy as a result of religious beliefs concerning organ donation.

To learn more about the controversy, please read the following article, " From Israel, a radical way to boost organ donation" by Aron Heller, from the Associated Press Online, March 12, 2010.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hREKtl2ittF-I-yB3u5Q7VVX5IRgD9EE6QTG1

Follow-up to bone marrow donation discussion

2010-03-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Last semester, we discussed the controversy surrounding compensation for bone marrow donation. In October 2009, a lawsuit was brought against the state of California to permit bone marrow donors to receive compensation, which is currently prohibited by the National Organ Transplant Act. In February 2010, the government filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was followed by a hearing on March 15, 2010.

Please read the article, " Lawsuit urges payment for bone marrow donors" by Rita Rubin, which appeared on USA Today online on February 24, 2010.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-02-24-bonemarrow24_CV_N.htm

This week's article

2010-03-02T14:28:00.001-08:00

This week, we will be discussing the article, "Transplant Tourism in China: A Tale of Two Transplants" from the American Journal of Bioethics, February 3, 2010.

Please access the article through the following link, and click on one of the "view article" options (HTML or PDF):

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a919064144~db=all

No Bioethics Committee meeting this week

2010-02-21T13:34:00.001-08:00

The Bioethics Committee will not be meeting this week. Instead, we encourage you to attend the general AMSA event, "Brutally Honest" from 9-10PM on Tuesday 2/23. E-board members will be on hand to answer your pre-med related questions. Please check your email for details about the location. We'll see you there!

Follow-up to Rom Houben discussion

2010-02-20T16:51:00.000-08:00

Last semester, we discussed the case of Rom Houben, a man who was thought to be in a complete vegetative state for 23 years prior to communicating with doctors via facilitated communication. This week, Houben's doctor released the results of facilitated communication tests which indicated that Houben was not actually communicating by this method. These results raise concerns about the use of facilitated communication, and on a braoder level, the use of new technologies in medical practice.

You can read about it here, " Belgian coma 'writer' Rom Houben can't communicate" from BBC online, February 20, 2010.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8526017.stm

Also, for more background information about facilitated communication, its usage by autistic children, and the surrounding controversy, please read the article, " 'Helping' Autistic People to Speak" from Time Magazine, May 10, 2006.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1192775,00.html

Brain Scan allows communication with vegetative patients?

2010-02-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

This past week, the New England Journal of Medicine published the findings of a study which suggest that brain scan technology may allow communication with patients in vegetative states. The study monitored brain activity in vegetative patients using functional MRI imaging. When responding to a question, the subjects were told to imagine playing tennis, or walking in a familiar area, with each activity activating a different area of the brain and corresponding to either a "yes" or "no" response to the question.

You can read more about it here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020302887_2.html?hpid=topnews

Here is the original article which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0905370

2010-02-02T09:11:00.001-08:00

This past week, the medical journal, The Lancet, published a full retraction of a 1998 article which suggested a link between MMR vaccines and autism in children. This 1998 article played a large role in the recent anti-vaccination movement.

Read more about it here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704022804575041544115791952.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_AboveLEFTTop

This week's article

2010-02-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

We will be discussing end of life issues at this week's meeting. Please read the following article, " Weighing Medical Costs of End of Life Care" which appeared in the New York Times on December 22, 2009.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/health/23ucla.html?_r=2

This week's article

2010-01-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

We will be holding our first Bioethics Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 26 at 9PM. We will be discussing the article, "Should Surgeons Meet Patients Online?" which appeared in the New York Times on January 20, 2010.

Please access it through this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/fashion/21Skin.html?ref=health

Accountability for errors in treatment

2010-01-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

This article discusses the implications of doctors and pharmaceutical companies accepting accountability for making errors in medical treatment and drug production. Please access the article through the link below. This article, " Is 'Sorry' the hardest word in health care?" appeared in the New York Times Business Section on January 9, 2010:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/business/10stream.html?ref=us

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis

2010-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

This article discusses the use of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to choose an embryo that possesses certain characteristics, such as a complementary immune system that will allow for successful bone marrow donation, organ donation or other life-saving clinical purposes. The use of "PGD" raises several ethical issues such as selecting against embryos with hereditary diseases and selecting for non-essential characteristics. You can read more about it in the article which appeared on USAtoday.com, "Embryo genetic screening controversial- and successful":

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2010-01-10-embryo-genetic-screening_N.htm

Brain-Computer interface technology

2010-01-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

This article recently appeared on CNN.com. It discusses the growing use of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology and the accompanying ethical issues.

You can read the article, "The future of brain-controlled devices" here:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/30/brain.controlled.computers/?imw=Y

New technology- new issues?

2009-12-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently reported a new technique for determining the sex of an unborn child. The technique, which consists of a simple blood test from the mother, can reliably determine the sex of a fetus as early as five weeks into the pregnancy. This technique raises ethical questions about the consequences of identifying X-linked diseases early in pregnancy. You can read more about it in the article, "Blood test tells gender of fetus as early as 5 weeks," which appeared on msnbc.com on December 21, 2009.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34471795/ns/health-pregnancy/

This week's article (for 12/8 meeting)

2009-12-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

We will be revisiting the issue of the direct to consumer retail DNA test this week, since many of you were not able to attend our discussion earlier in the semester. Please read the following article, from Time Magazine's Inventions of the Year 2008, for background information about this topic:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854493,00.html

This week's article

2009-11-30T19:39:00.000-08:00

We will be discussing the article, "Awaking From a Coma: What Did the Doctors Miss?" about Rom Houben, a Belgian man who was assumed to be in a complete vegetative state for 23 years before doctors realized that his brain was fully functioning. The article appeared on Time online on November 28,2009. You can access the article here:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1943277,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

In addition, here is an article about this issue that was published on the New York Times News Blog:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/doubting-a-medical-miracle/?scp=1&sq=rom%20houben&st=cse

Some more bioethics news

2009-11-22T13:48:00.000-08:00

Following the new mammogram recommendations, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued new guidelines for cervical cancer testing.

Read about it more here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/health/20pap.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=cervival%20cancer%20recommendations&st=cse

more bioethics news

2009-11-18T20:55:00.001-08:00

We discussed the issue of mammogram recommendations and preventive medicine at a committee meeting last year. This week, the US Preventive Services Task Force made a new recommendation that women should start receiving mammograms at age 50 and every other year, in place of the current recommendation that women should receive yearly mammograms starting at the age of 40. This recommendation has resulted in intense controversy about the role of doctors, the government and individuals in the practice of preventive medicine.

You can read more about it here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/health/18mammogram.html

Please note that there are MANY, MANY articles currently being written about this issue. This article is meant to provide an brief overview of the topic, but if you are interested, we encourage you to read further!

Bioethics news

2009-11-18T20:51:00.001-08:00

This article discusses the controversy and eventual conclusion of a case about baby RB, a 13 month old boy on life support with myasthenia gravis.

Please read the article below to learn more about this important bioethics issue.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/11/15/uk.baby.dies/

Follow-up to this week's meeting

2009-11-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

In response to your questions at this week's meeting, here are some links which provide additional information about bone marrow and the donation process:

http://www.apamsa.org/programs/bone-marrow-drive/bone-marrow-donation-procedure

http://rarediseases.about.com/od/rarediseasesb/a/bmt05.htm

Here is an article which discusses the potential efficacy of postmortem bone marrow donation:

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/reprint/16/1/1020.pdf

This week's Bioethics Committee meeting article

2009-11-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

This week, we will be discussing the article, " Patients Sue for Right to Buy Life-Saving Bone Marrow" which appeared in the Foxnews.com health section on November 8, 2009.
Please access the article through this link:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573030,00.html

As always, feel free to comment on the article!

Special event this Tuesday! Nov. 10, 6PM, Hamilton 511

2009-11-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

"Too much too soon: the new world of genetic testing and what it means to all of us"
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 6PM, Hamilton 511

The CUAMSA Bioethics Committee invites you to attend an informal discussion led by Ms. Jill Goldman (MS, MPhil, CGC), genetic counselor at the Sergievsky Center and Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. We will discuss the ethical issues encountered in genetic testing of neurodegenerative diseases and the issues arising out of the direct-to-consumer retail DNA test.
Refreshments will be served.

October 27 meeting article

2009-10-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

At our meeting this week, we will be discussing "Child DNA Donors should have their say" published in Nature on August 13, 2009. The article highlights the views of bioethicists on genetic repositories.
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090813/full/news.2009.819.html

Links to case studies

2009-10-13T19:46:00.001-07:00

Here are the links to the case studies that we discussed at the past two Bioethics Committee meetings. These case studies are from the New York Presbyterian Hospital Ethics Committee and were presented to the public during the Columbia Center for Bioethics Ethics for Lunch series.

"A Patient's Request for Removal of a Ventricular Assist Device: Is it ethical? Is it legal?"
http://www.bioethicscolumbia.org/pdf/Ventricular_Assist_Device_11_28_06.pdf

"Advertisting for a Kidney: Is it ethical? Is it legal?"
http://www.bioethicscolumbia.org/pdf/Advertising_Kidney_5_9_06.pdf

"When Parents Request an Untested Experimental Therapy for their Extremely Ill Child"
http://www.bioethicscolumbia.org/pdf/Experimental_Therapy_2_16_06.pdf

"A Blind and Psychotic PatientRefusing Cataract Surgery: Beneficent Paternalism or Irrational Autonomy?"
http://asp.cumc.columbia.edu/bioethics/upload/Prager_11-15.07_Ethics_Lunch_Write_Up-1.pdf

Another interesting article

2009-10-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

This article, "Novartis chip ensures bitter pills are swallowed" discusses the use of microchips in pills as a way of monitoring patients' adherence to their prescriptions. Please follow the link to the article on the Financial Times website:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c1473442-a6f4-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Is this an ethically appropriate method of ensuring that patients follow their doctors' prescriptions? Do you view this technology as infringing on individual rights and privacy or as promoting the health and safety of these individuals?

An interesting article

2009-10-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

This article discusses growing skepticism towards vaccination, in the context of the H1N1 vaccine. Here is the link to the article:

http://news.aol.com/article/growing-vaccine-skepticism-worries/698882#

What do you think of individuals' views about vaccination compared to the statistics which are provided? Is the media partially to blame for this growing trend? Are parents' justified in preventing their children from being vaccinated for infectious diseases?

Please comment; we will not be discussing this article at the committee meeting this week, so we hope to start a discussion about it online.

Tuesday Sept 29, 2009 Article

2009-09-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Bioethics Committee members,

This week we will be discussing the following article "Officials ponder disconnecting ventilators from some patients in severe flu outbreak" published in the Seattle Times on September 23, 2009. Please find the link below and feel free to comment!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2009930043_propublicaflu23.html

This week's article

2009-09-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

We will be meeting this Tuesday (9/22) at 9PM. We will explain the organization of the Bioethics Committee and we will discuss our upcoming events for this semester. We will also discuss the article "Science is Forcing Sports to Re-examine their Core Principles" written by Alice Dreger. This article appeared in the New York Times on September 12, 2009.

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/sports/13dreger.html?_r=2

2009-09-20T18:23:00.001-07:00

The Bioethics Committee will meet on Tuesdays from 9-10PM in Hamilton 401. We hope to see you there!

Welcome!

2009-09-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the CU AMSA Bioethics Blog! We will regularly post bioethics articles and events on this blog. We welcome your comments!